There was no place better than a Black Sea beach for them to meet and fall in love. A speedy courtship led to a quick marriage, then the world showed up. A divorce inspired by outside forces sent them on separate destinies, always wondering “what if…”

There could hardly have been a worse time for them to be in the Soviet Union. With the country on the verge of collapse, their secure lives turned into a desperate struggle for survival. He faced economic turmoil and personal demons within the country.

For her, social pressure and sectarian violence led to escape, separating them in both time and distance. Then emails stirred their memories of better times, and opportunity brought their paths together.

Could they, would they reconnect? Should they give their love, and each other, a second chance?

This novel was written in Russian and published in Russia and Ukraine in 2009. Translated to English while preserving its original style, it is now finding a new audience in America and around the English-speaking world.